Double trolley turnout



Aug. 18, 1953 w. J. LEWIS DOUBLE TROLLEY TURN-OUT Filed Aug. 9, 1950 INVENTOR. WZJBBEN J LEWIS BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 18, 1953 DOUBLE TROLLEY TURNOUT Warren J. Lewis, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 9, 1950, Serial N 0. 178,474

' 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an overhead trolley system and has particular use in mines in which twin trolley wires are used.

The invention has particular reference to a switching point at which a portion of the main trolley wires are biased from a main line position to a branch position.

In case of a single trolley wire system, it is merely a matter of placing a frog at the point of branching, as there is no relative movement of the main and branch wires, but there is no practical frog to cover the situation where a pair of overhead wires of opposite polarity are in use.

The herein described construction covers means for switching a portion of the main trolley wires from a straight through or main position to a branch position and vice versa, and at the same time avoid the possibility of interference between the wires of opposite polarity as would normally be the case with the wires positioned in a common plane of movement or horizontal plane.

In the drawing Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of a pair of main and branch wires in the same or common plane together with supports for attaching theparts to a mine roof and also shows means for yieldingly holding the wires in their adjusted relation.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 showing the wires and supports as attached to a mine roof which is shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the movable pair of trolley wires as shifted to their branch position as in Fig, 1 and showing various parts as supported from a mine roof also shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 3 .-3 of Fig. 1 showing the movable pair 7 of trolley wires as shifted to the main line positionas shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and also showing parts as supported by a roof as in Fig. 2.

Fig. shows a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with the movable or switch wires in mid position and in particular the out-of-alignmentrelation of the main and branch wires with regard to the movable or switch wires in passing from one extreme position (Fig. 3) to the other extreme position (Fig. 4) and vice versa'.

In the system disclosed, the main or through wires are a and b and a and I) while the branch wires are c and d. The main wires are provided with insulated supports 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the branch wires are supported by insulators 5 and 6.

The supports l and 2 are secured to their respective wires to anchor same and rigidly attached to the mine roof I so as to hold the wires stationary at the point where the switch wires a: and y find their lateral movement which is at a distance from their free ends.

-The main wires a and b are provided with the rigid supports 3 and 4 which anchor the same and are secured to the respective wires at or adjacent their free ends and these insulator supports are fixed to the mine roof and hold the wires 11' and b stationary. The same is true of insulators Band 6 associated with trolley wires 0 and d.

It is important that the wires a, b, c and d are held in fixed and properly spaced alignment.

The switch wires x and :1; which are a continuation .of wires a and I) extend to the fixed ends of the wires a, b, c and d and almost contact the same.

The switch wires. x and y are bendable being of hard-drawn copper or bronze and the free ends maybe swung into alignment with the ends of wires a and b or with c and d, but support means is provided for the free ends during such swinging operation.

The support means for the free ends of the switch wires .r and y consists of a rail 8 with straight and aligned ends 9 and I0 which are connected by a depressed concaved portion II. This support means which is hereinafter called ayoke, extends over the top of the switch wires for their full extent at least of their lateral movement and in spaced relation to the switch wires and each end of the yoke is provided with a support [2 with means I3 to secure it to the mine roof.

Mounted upon the yoke is a transversely movable slide or support [4 for the free ends of the switch wires and which is mounted upon the yoke and may be fitted with rollers or wheels l5 for easier movement. The slide is provided with insulating support Iii-11 secured to the switch wires at their free ends to hold the wires in fixed and spaced relation and to move the wires as the slide is moved from side to side. The yoke is provided with stop pins 18 at each end to limit the movement of the slide when the switch wires align with the main and the branch wires.

7 The installation includes a pair of spaced upright posts [9 extending between the roof of the mine floor on each side of the yoke and to each post is secured a pulley 20 over which pass the ropes 2i--22 attached to their respective ends of the slide l4 whereby the slide and switch wires may be moved from one extreme position to the other extreme position. Other means, such as electric, air or hydraulic may be used to operate the switch wires and could be attached at H.

In order to yieldingly maintain the slide and Secured to the center of support 23 and to the slide is an extensiontype spring 25, and secured to the center of the support 2 and to the slide M at a point adjacent to that oi" spring 25 is a compression type spring 25 alsp known as an over-center spring which holds the slide in either its main or its branch position. The

spring 25 is provided with a telescopic type core to keep it aligned.

The mine roof is cut out at. 2.1 and 28' toac.- commodate the several parts of the device as shown in Fig. 2. a

In the operation of the device, if the switch wires are at the branch position (Fig. 1), the operator will pull on the rope 21 which will move the slide from the position in Fig. 3' to that in Fig. 4 and the switch wires will take the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. I; The overcenter compression spring 26 and the tension spring 25 will assume the positions shown by dotted lines. in Fig. 1 and hold the slide against the stop I8.

The yieldable holding means may consist of the over-center compression spring 2% alone, but this will force the slide Hi against the yoke 8 with considerable force creating considerable friction between the slide and yoke, however the over-center tension spring 25 will relieve this pressure and the two springs actingtogether will result in a resultant acting more nearly in line, with the direction oi movement of the slide Ehaving decreased the direct pressure upon the yoke;

In passing from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shownin Fig. 4,. the slide will follow the upper edge of the yoke due. to the member l5 positioned above and belowthe track 8 and beforeanyswitch. wire of one polarity is in alignmentwith abranchor main wire of. the opposite polarity the slide will; have followed along the P W2 ie he' qke a us en s f the Sw tc w re wi ha e Pa se mthe branch l a n Wire 'qnde e ihe 1 .9 a Shown in Fig. 5;

If the switch wires moved laterally in the same plane as, the trolleywire a short circuit would probably result between the positive wire :c and the: negative. bf. and.- also; between the negative wire y ,andlthe-positive. branch wire 0, since the free ends of the. wires practically contact when in, alignment.

There. are modifications-which will occur to those skilled the art, but whichwillfall withinthe scopeof thisai'nvention, for instance other shifting means may be substituted for the ropes 24-22 and 'for' holding the slide in either position or the trolley wires d y-b' may be ina parallel and the wires ca:a may be in a parallel plane below the first plane 'inwhich case the dip II in the'yoke-may-bemade straight. What I desire tosecure by Letters Patent is set forth in the foregoing claims.

I claim:

1. In combination; apair of main trolley wires of opposite polarity having a fixed portion and a laterally movable portion. and a pair of fixed branch; wires of opposite polarity; the branch wires-spaced from the fixed portion of the main 4 wires, the movable portion of the main wires being bendable at a point remote from their free ends until the free ends are in alignment with the free ends of either the free ends of the fixed portion of the main wires or the free ends of the fixed branch wires, all wires being normally in a common plane, insulating supports at the free ends of the branch wires and of the said fixed portion and at the said remote point of the main Wires to support the said movable portion at the remote point, an insulating slide attached to the free ends of the switch wires whereby the tree ends-are held in spaced relation, a Yoke shaped tifach with secured ends to support the said slide and upon which the slide may be moved tov either of its two positions to bring the free ends of the switch wires into longitudinal alignment with the free ends of the branch and of the fixed main wires, the end portions of the track being straight and aligned with each other to support the slide in its aligned positions, the portion of the track intermediate the end portions ofthe track being depressed to permit the slide to dip down whereby the ends of the switch wires secured thereto will pass laterally below the free ends of the said fixed wires and branch wires in passing from one position to the other. and spring means to yiel'dingl'y' hold the slide. either of its extreme positions, the said spring means comprising a compression spring, and; a tension spring acting counter to the compression spring both as to its. holding resultant and itspressure or. the slide against the yoke-shaped track.

2. In combination, a pair of. Spaced trolley wires of opposite polarity; a. second pair of spaced trolley Wires of opposite polarity spaced from the first pair, a third, pair of spaced, trolley wires of opposite polarity, means to support the free ends of the first andsecond pair of trolley wires! to holdthemin fixed and insulated, relation, means remote from thefreeends: of the said. third pair of trolley wires to support the same. and hold the Wires in f xed and-.insulatedrelation to each other; at h p int o su rt d. e other ir m aiisnsew ed t z heree nds f h third p ir rolley wir ste s ppor s nsu1a uid and move the free ends of thesaidti ird. pair of trolley wires. to either ot? twopositiona. one positionin longitudinal a lignmentwwith the firstrpair 0t. wires; and theaoither position in. longitudinal alignment withthe-second: pair of wires, thelast said means including a; yoke shaped track and a slidewthe said track supporting and guiding the? slide and. having concaved': means to depress the slide and the third pair' of." trolley wires as the wires are: moved from one position to the other to prevent interference; between any two wires of oppositeapolari-ty} the slide provided with guide means which rotate as the slid'e movesalong the track, manually operable means secured to the slide' to move the slide into: and out" ofthe depressed portionof tlie track and to either of its positions anda; pair of cooperating springs to yieldin'glj holdthe slide and the third pair of trolleywires in either of their two aligned positionsandto voidthe friction between'- the slide and' track" d'ue to the pressure of" one of the springsupon the slide. I

3. A switching; system which includes a? pair of spaced and fixed trolley Wires and; a second pair of trolley wires spacedirom the first pair of wires, means to support the free ends of the said pairs of'trolley wires and" hold their free ends in fixed and insulated relation in a common plane, the wires of each pair being of opposite polarity. a third pair of spaced trolley wires of opposite polarity bendable into longitudinal alignment with the wires of the first and second pair of trolley wires, the free ends of the third pair of trolley wires being spaced from the free ends of the trolley wires with which they are aligned, means to support the third pair of trolley wires at a point remote from their free ends whereby the portion of the third pair of wires between the support and their free ends is movable into alignment with either one or the other of the first two said pair-of trolley wires, transversely movable support means for the free ends of the third pair'of trolley wires and to move the same to either of said aligned positions and to move the last said free ends out of the said common plane as they are moved from one of said positions to the other, and an over-center spring means to yieldingly maintain the third pair of trolley wires in either position, the said spring means including a compression type spring and a tension type spring cooperating with the compression type spring to relieve the direct pressure upon the support means created by the compression spring without eliminating the resultant force of the compression spring along the line of the direction of movement of the free ends of the third pair of trolley wires and to yieldingly hold the said free ends in either of their aligned positions.

4. A switching system comprising three pair of trolley wires, the wires of each pair spaced from each other and of opposite polarity and each pair of wires spaced from the other pair, the said three pair of wires being so arranged that the wires of one pair may be aligned with those of either of the other two pair, the wires of said one pair being universally bendable at a point remote from their free ends whereby the said one pair of trolley wires may be longitudinally aligned with either of the other pair of wires, a slide and fixed support therefor for supporting the free ends of the said one pair of trolley wires and manually controlled means for actuating the slide, means associated with the slide to yieldingly hold the slide with the attached ends of the said one pair of wires in alignment with the free ends of either of the other two pairs of wires, the said means comprising an over-center compression type of spring providing a resultant force acting along the fixed support to hold the slide in either end position and creating friction icetween the slide and fixed support due to pressure of the compression spring upon the slide, and a tension type of spring acting upon the slide in opposition to the pressure created by the compression spring to reduce the friction between the slide and fixed support, whereby the force. opposing the movement of the slide from one position to the other as a result of said friction is materially reduced without completely reducing the holding force of the spring.

5. In a support for a trolley system using a pair of trolley wires of opposite polarity and a pair of branch wires at a switching point, the combination of an elongated yoke shaped track having its ends secured in fixed position, the track provided with straight and horizontally aligned and spaced portions and a central depressed portion; a guide and support means for the free ends of a pair of spaced and laterally movable trolley wires of opposite polarity, the guide and 6 support provided with insulatingmeansto receive' the free ends of thetrolley. wires, the guide and support means also provided with freely rotatable means mounted on the trackiwhereby the guide and support means may be freely moved from end to end of the track and be depressed and then raised as it moves along the central portion of the track; means to provide a resultant force acting in the direction'of movement of the guide and support means to yieldingly hold the guide and support means at rest upon the straight portion at either end of the yoke shaped track, the said means comprising an over-center spring under compression having one end secured to the guide and support means and the other end secured to a fixed support at a point spaced from the guide and support means and midway between the positions of rest of the guide and support means and a second spring under tension secured to the guide and support means adjacent the end of the firstsaid spring and the other end secured to a fixed'support at a point spaced from the fixed support of the first said spring whereby the pressure of the first said spring against the guide and support means is reduced by the tension in the second spring.

6. An electric installation for a transportation system in a tunnellike'passage or excavation'comprising, a roof member, a pair of spaced and fixed trolley wires-and a second pair of trolley wires spaced from the first pair of wires, insulating means to secure the free ends of the said pairs of trolley wires directly to the roof member and hold their free ends in fixed and insulated relation to each other and to the roof member and also in a common plane, the wires of each pair being of opposite polarity, a third pair of spaced trolley wires of opposite polarity bendable at a point remote from their free ends into longitudinal alignment with the wires of the first and second pair of trolley wires, the free ends of the third pair of trolley wires being spaced from the free ends of the trolley wires with which they are aligned, insulating means to secure the third pair of trolley wires directly to the roof member at the point of movement whereby the portion of the third pair of wires between the last said means and their free ends is movable into alignment with either one or the other of the first two said pair of trolley wires, the said portion of the third pair of trolley wires forming switch wires to guide current collectors on a passing locomotive onto either one or the other of the first or the second said pair of trolley wires, support means for the free ends of the switch wires and to move the free ends thereof into longitudinal alignment with either of the other two pair of trolley wires and to move the free ends of the switch wires out of the said common plane of the first two pair of trolley wires as the switch wires move from one of said positions to the other, the said support means comprising a laterally disposed elongated track member having its ends secured directly to the roof member and provided with relatively short horizontally aligned straight end portions connected by a concaved central portion arranged to dip downward, a carriage mounted on the track member and depending therefrom and movable from end to end of the track member, stop means on the said straight end portions adjacent their union with the ends of the concave portion whereby the carriage will be immediately guided downward in passing from either end of the track sesame 7 member "to the other endthereeif, :the carriage provided with insulating mean-s to receive and secure the free ends -=of the switch wires'to the carriage in insulated relationitheneto and to :each

other, the :roof memher provided with azhollowed out portion above the support means sufficiently large to receive the'isaid track member with "the lower :portion of the carriage projecting -below the normal :lineof thezroofamember and'stherswitch wires in longitudinal alignmentwith the other two pairs 0ftrolleyWirespand'rspring means secured to the carriage rand :anchored to the-roof member at :a point :removed :from the said support means to :yieldingly :hold the marriage in either of its -alignedipositions with the other two pair of trolley wires-:other'spring means acting counter to the pressure of the 'zfirst said spring means ,in a directionrnormali toithe'track: member and also acting :counter :to the :pressure 10f athe the member .to'an overheadsupport; aportion of the opposite ends {of the isaid member being straightiandvaligned, and'aportion intermediate itheeends formed with a concave depression with {respect to the end portions, a slide movably mounted-on the supporting and guiding member, and provided with means engaging the opposite edges :of the track in rotatable relation thereto to cause the slide to follow the said ends and depressed intermediate portion of the track, a

pair-of springs attached :at one end to the slide :to yieldingly hold .the slide in ,either of its lateral positions, means to support the other end of each spring to hold it fixed, :one spring exerting a compressionforce upon the slide and thereby creating friction between'the slide and track,

and the othersprin g exerting ,a tension force upon the slideto greatly reducethe friction, and the two springs cooperating to maintain a resultant force acting alongthedirection Qfjtravel lot the slide, and insulating means. associated with the slide, and -.-having means attachable to the ireeendsoi the trolley wires.

WARREN J. LEWIS.

References Cited :inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES TEPATENTS "Number Name Date 9,702 "Wilmot May 3, 1858 421,535 Wheeler Feb418, 1890 488,734 Giroux 'Dec. '27, 1892 928,157 Shissler July 13, 1909 1,024,353 Nicholson Aprs23, 1912 1,035,986 McQuade Aug. 20, 1912 1,614,201 Larsson Jan. "11, 1927 844,405 Matthes Feb. 9, 1932 2,494,314 Rowe Jan.,10, 1950 

